=== Gender exploratory therapy === {{POV-section|date=June 2024}} Gender exploratory therapy (GET) is characterized by its opponents as a form of conversion therapy<ref name="WPATH-NHS">{{Cite web |date=November 25, 2022 |title=WPATH, ASIAPATH, EPATH, PATHA, and USPATH Response to NHS England in the United Kingdom (UK) |url=https://www.wpath.org/media/cms/Documents/Public%20Policies/2022/25.11.22%20AUSPATH%20Statement%20reworked%20for%20WPATH%20Final%20ASIAPATH.EPATH.PATHA.USPATH.pdf?_t=1669428978 |website=[[WPATH]]}}</ref><ref name="Bharat">{{Cite journal |last1=Bharat |first1=Bharat |last2=Dopp |first2=Alex |last3=Last |first3=Briana |last4=Howell |first4=Gary |last5=Nadeem |first5=Erum |last6=Johnson |first6=Clara |last7=Stirman |first7=Shannon Wiltsey |title=OSF |url=https://osf.io/gz5mk/ |journal=The Behavior Therapist |publisher=Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies |publication-date=October 2023 |volume=46 |issue=7 |doi=10.31234/osf.io/gz5mk}}</ref><ref name="Lawson">{{Cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=Zazie |last2=Davies |first2=Skye |last3=Harmon |first3=Shae |last4=Williams |first4=Matthew |last5=Billawa |first5=Shradha |last6=Holmes |first6=Ryan |last7=Huckridge |first7=Jaymie |last8=Kelly |first8=Phillip |last9=MacIntyre-Harrison |first9=Jess |last10=Neill |first10=Stewart |last11=Song-Chase |first11=Angela |last12=Ward |first12=Hannah |last13=Yates |first13=Michael |date=October 2023 |title=A human rights based approach to transgender and gender expansive health |url=https://explore.bps.org.uk/lookup/doi/10.53841/bpscpf.2023.1.369.91 |journal=Clinical Psychology Forum |language=en |volume=1 |issue=369 |pages=91–106 |doi=10.53841/bpscpf.2023.1.369.91 |issn=1747-5732 |s2cid=265086908}}</ref><ref name="Amery">{{Cite journal |last=Amery |first=Fran |date=2023-12-11 |title=Protecting Children in 'Gender Critical' Rhetoric and Strategy: Regulating Childhood for Cisgender Outcomes |url=https://www.digest.ugent.be/article/id/85309/ |journal=DiGeSt - Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies |volume=10 |issue=2 |doi=10.21825/digest.85309 |issn=2593-0281 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Caraballo">{{Cite journal |last=Caraballo |first=Alejandra |date=December 2022 |title=The Anti-Transgender Medical Expert Industry |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-law-medicine-and-ethics/article/antitransgender-medical-expert-industry/25EFFECB8F71CA9A37F9F089E13BC41E |journal=Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics |language=en |volume=50 |issue=4 |pages=687–692 |doi=10.1017/jme.2023.9 |issn=1073-1105 |pmid=36883410}}</ref> thoughcharacterized othersby disputerequiring thismandatory andextended considertalk ittherapy anattempting acceptableto practicefind thatpathological isroots distinctfor fromgender conversiondysphoria therapy,while simultaneously delaying social and medical transition indefinitely.<ref name="ashley_202209WPATH-NHS" /><ref name="PaulyLawson" /><ref arguingname="Amery" that/><ref itname="ashley_202209">{{Cite hasjournal |last=Ashley |first=Florence |date=6 September 2022 |title=Interrogating Gender-Exploratory Therapy |journal=Perspectives on Psychological Science |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=472–481 |doi=10.1177/17456916221102325 |pmc=10018052 |pmid=36068009 |s2cid=252108965}}</ref><ref name="MacKinnon">{{Cite journal |last1=MacKinnon |first1=Kinnon R. |last2=Gould |first2=Wren Ariel |last3=Enxuga |first3=Gabriel |last4=Kia |first4=Hannah |last5=Abramovich |first5=Alex |last6=Lam |first6=June S. H. |last7=Ross |first7=Lori E. |date=2023-11-29 |title=Exploring the goalgender care experiences and perspectives of identifyingindividuals whywho youthsdiscontinued havetheir gendertransition or detransitioned in Canada |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=18 |issue=11 |pages=e0293868 |bibcode=2023PLoSO..1893868M |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0293868 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=10686467 |pmid=38019738 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Practitioners of GET often view medical transition as a last resort and propose their patient's dysphoria is caused by factors such as homophobia, social contagion, sexual trauma, and autism.<ref name="Lawson" /or><ref believename="Caraballo" themselves/> toSome bepractitioners transof GET avoid using their patients' chosen names and pronouns while questioning their identification.<ref name="MacKinnon" rather/> thanCommenting theon gender exploratory therapy in 2022, bioethicist [[Florence Ashley]] argued that its framing as an undirected goalexploration of changingunderlying theirpsychological identityissues bore similarities to gay conversion practices such as "[[Conversion therapy#Reparative therapy|reparative]]" therapy.<ref name="ashley_202209" /> States that have banned gender-affirming care for minors in the United States have called expert witnesses to argue that exploratory therapy should be the alternative treatment.<ref name="Pauly">{{Cite news |last=Pauly |first=Madison |last2=Carnell |first2=Henry |date=July 2024 |title=First they tried to "cure" gayness. Now they're fixated on "healing" trans people. |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/05/conversion-therapy-lgbtq-anti-trans-gay-gender-affirming-care/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |work=Mother Jones |language=en-US}}</ref>
Gender exploratory therapy is characterized by mandatory extended talk therapy attempting to find pathological roots for gender dysphoria. Practitioners of GET often portray medical transition as a last resort intervention<ref name="WPATH-NHS" /><ref name="Lawson" /><ref name="Amery" /><ref name="ashley_202209">{{Cite journal |last=Ashley |first=Florence |date=6 September 2022 |title=Interrogating Gender-Exploratory Therapy |journal=Perspectives on Psychological Science |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=472–481 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17456916221102325 |doi=10.1177/17456916221102325 |pmc=10018052 |pmid=36068009 |s2cid=252108965}}</ref><ref name="MacKinnon">{{Cite journal |last1=MacKinnon |first1=Kinnon R. |last2=Gould |first2=Wren Ariel |last3=Enxuga |first3=Gabriel |last4=Kia |first4=Hannah |last5=Abramovich |first5=Alex |last6=Lam |first6=June S. H. |last7=Ross |first7=Lori E. |date=2023-11-29 |title=Exploring the gender care experiences and perspectives of individuals who discontinued their transition or detransitioned in Canada |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=18 |issue=11 |pages=e0293868 |bibcode=2023PLoSO..1893868M |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0293868 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=10686467 |pmid=38019738 |doi-access=free}}</ref> and propose their patient's dysphoria may be caused by factors such as homophobia, social factors, sexual trauma and autism.<ref name="Lawson" /><ref name="Caraballo" /><ref name="ashley_202209"/>
In 2022, bioethicist [[Florence Ashley]] argued that its framing as an undirected exploration of underlying psychological issues bore similarities to gay conversion practices such as "[[Conversion therapy#Reparative therapy|reparative]]" therapy.<ref name="ashley_202209" /> States that have banned gender-affirming care for minors in the United States have called expert witnesses to argue that exploratory therapy should be the alternative treatment.<ref name="Pauly">{{Cite news |last=Pauly |first=Madison |last2=Carnell |first2=Henry |date=July 2024 |title=First they tried to "cure" gayness. Now they're fixated on "healing" trans people. |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/05/conversion-therapy-lgbtq-anti-trans-gay-gender-affirming-care/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |work=Mother Jones |language=en-US}}</ref> Some practitioners of GET avoid using their patients' chosen names and pronouns while questioning their identification.<ref name="MacKinnon" />
There are no known empirical studies examining psychosocial or medical outcomes following GET.<ref name="MacKinnon" /><ref name="Leising">{{Cite journal |last=Leising |first=Julie |date=September 2022 |title=Gender-affirming care for youth—separating evidence from controversy |url=https://bcmj.org/sites/default/files/BCMJ_Vol64_No7-premise-corrected%20%28ID%202375120%29.pdf |journal=Bc Medic al Journal |volume=64 |issue=7}}</ref> Concerns have been raised that by not providing an estimated length of time for the therapy, the delays in medical interventions may compound mental suffering in trans youth,<ref name="Lawson" /><ref name="MacKinnon" /> while [[gender-affirming care|gender-affirming model of care]] already promotes gender identity exploration without favoring any particular identity, and individualized care.<ref name="MacKinnon" /> GET proponents deny this.<ref name="Santoro">{{Cite news |last=Santoro |first=Helen |date=2023-05-02 |title=How Therapists Are Trying to Convince Children That They're Not Actually Trans |url=https://slate.com/technology/2023/05/gender-exploratory-therapy-trans-kids-what-is-it.html |access-date=2024-01-01 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref> Multiple groups exist worldwide to promote GET and have been successful in influencing legal discussions and clinical guidance in some regions.<ref name="Amery" /> The Gender Exploratory Therapy Association (GETA) asserts that "psychological approaches should be the first-line treatment for all cases of gender dysphoria", that medical interventions for transgender youth are "experimental and should be avoided if possible", and that [[social transitioning|social transition]] is "risky".<ref name="Santoro" /> All of GETA's leaders are members of [[Genspect]], a "[[gender-critical]]" group that promotes GET and argues that gender-affirming care should not be available to those under 25.<ref name="Santoro" /> In late 2023, GETA changed their name to "Therapy First".<ref name="Pauly" /> GETA also shares a large overlap with the [[Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine]] (SEGM), which promotes GET as first-line treatment for those under 25.<ref name="splc-defining-pseudoscience">{{Cite web |title=Group dynamics and division of labor within the anti-LGBTQ+ pseudoscience network |url=https://www.splcenter.org/captain/defining-pseudoscience-network |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en}}</ref> GETA co-founder Lisa Marchiano stated U.S. President Joe Biden's executive order safeguarding trans youth from conversion therapy would have a "chilling effect" on GET practices.<ref name="Santoro" /><ref name="Reed">{{Cite news |last=Reed |first=Erin |date=2023-01-13 |title=Unpacking 'gender exploratory therapy,' a new form of conversion therapy |url=https://xtramagazine.com/health/gender-exploratory-therapy-243833 |access-date=2024-01-01 |work=Xtra Magazine |language=en-CA}}</ref> GETA also opposed Biden's Title IX changes protecting trans students from discrimination, stating allowing trans youth in restrooms would harm the mental health of their peers.<ref name="Reed" /> The [[American College of Pediatricians]], a small group aligned with the Christian Right and not to be confused with the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]], has cited numerous studies from SEGM to claim GET is necessary to restore transgender people's "biological integrity".<ref name="splc-defining-pseudoscience" /> In November 2023, Michelle Cretella, a board member of the pro conversion therapy group [[Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity]] (ATCSI, formerly NARTH), gave a speech at an ATCSI conference which endorsed GET and argued it "truly is very similar to how the Alliance has always approached unwanted same-sex attraction".<ref name="Pauly" /> The same month, the [[UK Council for Psychotherapy]] announced it was fine for counsellors to practice GET and in April 2024 it was endorsed by the [[Cass Review]].<ref name="Pauly" />
In November 2023, the [[UK Council for Psychotherapy]] announced it was acceptable for counsellors to practice GET and in April 2024 it was endorsed by the [[Cass Review]].<ref name="Pauly" />
==Effects== |